Do I need utility permission in Virginia?

Yes, but the answer changes on 1 January 2027. Until then the law is not in force and Dominion Energy's ordinary interconnection policy applies, so ask your utility directly. From that date the utility cannot require its approval or charge you a fee — but you must still notify it beforehand on a form published by the State Corporation Commission, online or by mail, and it has 15 days to review the form and raise any deficiency. If it does not respond in that time you are deemed to have met the requirement.

Is Plug-In Solar Legal in Virginia?

Q: Is plug-in solar legal in Virginia?

Plug-in / balcony solar will be legal in Virginia from 1 January 2027 under HB 395 / SB 250, signed 22 April 2026 as Chapters 1052 and 998. Until then your utility’s existing rules apply. From that date a device supplying up to 1,200W of power output needs no utility approval and no fee — but you must notify your utility on a State Corporation Commission form before installing, and it has 15 days to review. A device up to 391W is additionally exempt from product-listing rules that would require changes to the building’s wiring. Equipment must be certified by a nationally recognized testing laboratory. Average residential rate is around 14¢/kWh.

Signed — takes effect 1 Jan 2027 Avg rate ~14¢/kWh

Last verified: August 1, 2026 · source data

Quick answer: Plug-in / balcony solar will be legal in Virginia from 1 January 2027 under HB 395 / SB 250, signed 22 April 2026 as Chapters 1052 and 998. Until then your utility’s existing rules apply. From that date a device supplying up to 1,200W of power output needs no utility approval and no fee — but you must notify your utility on a State Corporation Commission form before installing, and it has 15 days to review. A device up to 391W is additionally exempt from product-listing rules that would require changes to the building’s wiring. Equipment must be certified by a nationally recognized testing laboratory. Average residential rate is around 14¢/kWh.

Virginia law names the certification. Va. Code §56-596.8(A)(v) requires equipment certified by a nationally recognized testing laboratory — and most plug-in kits sold today do not state one. What counts, what does not, and what each popular product actually declares →

Legal — but will it actually pay off in Virginia? Run your numbers →

📬 One email if Virginia’s rules change — plus the free 50-state cheat sheet now.

What Virginia law requires of the equipment

Virginia is one of eight states that write certification into the statute. This section is about what satisfies it, not about what we can earn from.

Va. Code §56-596.8(A)(v) — “is certified by a nationally recognized testing laboratory, as described in 29 C.F.R. § 1910.7, or an equivalent nationally recognized testing laboratory” from 1 January 2027, in 150 days

What meets it today

Hoymiles HiFlow Pro — certified to UL 3700 and UL 1741. $152.78 from NAZ Solar Electric. Pre-order — Expected arrival at our warehouse is early September. (manufacturer page for the certification; seller product page for price and availability, read 4 August 2026.)
APsystems EZ1 Microinverter — certified to UL 3700. $325 from APsystems USA direct. We have not checked stock or lead time. (product page, read 2 August 2026.)

What does not

AUECOOR 600W Complete Grid-Tie Kit — its listing says “Certification: CE”: no NRTL listing stated.
Y&H 600W Grid-Tie Microinverter — its listing says “The inverter is not UL1741 certified.”: the seller states it does not have it.

What that means in practice. This starts on 1 January 2027. From that day a device without the listing does not qualify for Virginia’s simplified route. Until the Hoymiles unit reaches its US warehouse in early September, the choice in Virginia is narrow: the APsystems EZ1 at $325, sold direct by the manufacturer, and the Hoymiles unit, which can be ordered but not yet delivered. We have not checked APsystems’ stock or lead time, so confirm that before you rely on it. We would rather say all of that than point you at something cheaper that does not meet your own state’s wording.

We earn nothing from either of these. Neither manufacturer runs a programme that pays publishers, so there are no tracking links here. What UL listing means, which eight states require it, and what eight popular products actually declare. Prices and availability read 4 August 2026.

Two systems, one job. For plug-in solar that feeds your home and lowers the bill, the head-to-head worth reading is EcoFlow Stream vs Anker SOLIX — two balcony systems doing that same job.

A different job: a portable power station is backup power for an outage. It is not a substitute for a grid-tie kit and it does not lower your bill. If that is what you are after: Anker C1000 vs EcoFlow DELTA 3 · C1000 vs C2000 · Anker vs EcoFlow at brand level

Thinking about installing? See our best plug-in solar kits for 2026 and estimate your yearly savings.

⚡ Storm-prone area? A solar power station keeps your fridge, phones and CPAP running through outages — silent, indoors, no fuel runs. See our hurricane backup picks (June–Nov).

Virginia has a plug-in solar law, but it is not in force yet. HB 395 and SB 250 — identical bills, enacted as Chapters 1052 and 998 — were approved by the Governor on 22 April 2026. Every section they create carries a delayed commencement: § 56-596.8 (exemption from interconnection), § 55.1-1212.1 (tenants) and § 15.2-2288.7 (local regulation) all take effect 1 January 2027. Until then Dominion Energy’s existing interconnection policy applies to you.

From 1 January 2027 the statutory definition caps a device at 1,200W of power output per customer — per residential building unit in multi-family housing. A device whose maximum power output to the receptacle outlet is 391W or less is additionally exempt from product-listing provisions that would require alterations to the building’s premises, wiring or electrical panels.

The law does not remove all paperwork. You must notify your electric service provider before installing, using a form published by the State Corporation Commission, online or by mail; the provider then has 15 days to review it and raise any deficiency. If it does not respond within that period you are deemed to have met the requirement. Where more than one device sits at a single property, the utility may install an automatic locking disconnect switch.

Two limits worth knowing. A landlord who owns more than four rental units cannot prohibit a tenant from installing a device on the exterior of the tenant’s premises, subject to reasonable restrictions and seven days’ notice. But § 15.2-2288.7(F) expressly preserves recorded covenants, condominium instruments and property owners’ association declarations — Virginia does not override your HOA. And no provision applies to a rental unit on a ratio utility billing system.

Before you buy in Virginia

Call your electric utility and ask: (1) do they allow small plug-in / behind-the-meter grid-tied solar, and (2) is any notification or interconnection form required? Stay within the wattage they specify, use a UL-listed microinverter, and keep written confirmation.

Then estimate your numbers with our savings calculator (pre-loaded with Virginia's rate).

Ready to start? If you want backup power for outages rather than a grid-tied kit, see our power stations guide →

Nearby states: Maryland · West Virginia · Kentucky · Tennessee · North Carolina · see the full 50-state tracker.

Status last reviewed 2026-08-01. Plug-in solar law is evolving quickly — verify current Virginia rules and your utility's policy directly. Informational, not legal advice.